Daniel Burstein says, “The results are in. Last month, we asked you, the readers of the MarketingExperiments blog, to write the most effective copy for a Consumer Reports email in a way that could also test which value factors were most appealing to Consumer Reports donors. To expand the amount of test ideas, we also asked the readers of the... [Read more]

Courtney Eckerle says, “I have two personal email accounts. The first I nigh abandoned when about five years ago in college it became so inundated with spam that I panicked and started over. The experience was essentially the electronic mail version of Fastball’s 90's hit “The Way.” I just took off and left it all behind me. It seems... [Read more]

Michael Guta says, “The value of customer insight has always been appreciated by companies, but until recent technological developments, data availability was limited to the larger enterprises. Thanks to smartphones, social media and big data, all of the interactions people have now can be analyzed to deliver actionable insights to improve your... [Read more]

Simon Lim has released a brand new set of marketing tools and resources for consultants who help local businesses start marketing online. Local businesses often are fearful of starting out online. They worry about whether they will be pouring money down the drain. Lim’s new tools (his Overcoming Website Objections Toolkit) will help you overcome... [Read more]

Fergal Glynn says, “Forrester analyst Sheryl Pattek, with David M. Cooperstein and Alexandra Hayes, urged B2B marketers to rethink their approach to marketing back in February 2013 in a Forrester report, “Rethink Marketing In The Buyer’s Context.” The report defines a framework for understanding the relevance of the customer journey... [Read more]

Maria Elena Duron says, “The network. We hear all about having to have one. We are invited to events revolving around it. We are asked about it. But does anyone really know what it is or how to create one? A simple explanation for why the network is glossed over is because so many assume it’s something you should already know about. If you... [Read more]

Kristine Schachinger says, “There appears to be a trend in Google’s actions towards publishers and the digital marketing industry that has me a bit concerned. It seems the company has become less and less transparent with publishers over the last couple years — and frankly, it has me a bit uneasy. Google transparency Now, there have always... [Read more]

We don't know why, but for the last 6 weeks or so, hackers have been trying to get inside IM NewsWatch. So far, none has succeeded. We have worked hard to protect the site, so we are hoping that they never will... [Read more]

Amie Marse says, “With such a focus on the customer moving into 2016, businesses are finding new ways to generate the specific content their customers are looking for. This is leading companies to get to know its customers better in order to provide information that aligns with customer interests and needs. Below are a few elements companies should... [Read more]

Ben Davis says, “A well-oiled email marketing strategy can be unsurpassable in terms of ROI and audience engagement. So, what are the myriad ways companies can keep their database plump and receptive and reduce unsubscribes? Here are 10 ways. 1. Make it clear what the user is signing up for There’s a balance to be had between maximising ease... [Read more]

Caroline Early says, “Before I share this week’s pick with you, I should note that it’s the third episode in a five-part series. If you haven’t listened to the first two, be sure to check those out here and here when you get the chance. With that, this week’s Rewind episode is brought to you by Brian Clark and Jerod Morris on The Digital... [Read more]

Unfortunately for marketers, email is a "tool with leaks". A lot of people you send email to never see your mail: They have changed email address without telling you; Your email goes into their spam folder; They get so much email that yours isn't noticed etc... [Read more]

MOZ team says, “Have you ever actually tried to create 10x content? It’s not easy, is it? Knowing how and where to start can often be the biggest obstacle you’ll face. In today’s Whiteboard Friday, Rand talks about how good, unique content is going to die, and how you can develop your own 10x content to help it along”. How... [Read more]

Patrick Stox says, “Every update of Panda and Penguin in recent years has brought joy to some SEOs and sorrow to others. As the algorithms become real-time, the job of an SEO will become harder, and I wonder if Google has really thought of the consequences of these updates. So, what potential issues may arise as a result of faster algorithm updates? Troubleshooting... [Read more]

David William says, “When consumers read online reviews of a product or business, such as those on Amazon, it is often difficult to figure out which reviews are legitimate, and if they should trust any of the opinions that they read online these days. The situation is not helped by companies and marketers going out of their way to post hundreds... [Read more]

Michael Chaney is an affiliate marketer of long standing. For many years, he has helped other people sell their products, and he has earned commissions for that help. He reports that he has been quite effective in this business, earning $39,041.46 in commissions in a month, and earning similar commissions over and over... [Read more]

Victoria Heckstall says, “Sales reps who use social selling are 50 percent more likely to reach their sales targets. But while social media is an incredibly useful tool for meeting your goals, you need to keep in mind that it’s a general audience. There’s a difference between targeting a general audience and drilling down into your demographics. If... [Read more]

Entrepreneur team says, “More than half of consumers now rely on mobile devices to stay connected to friends, work, email, social media and the Internet, for an average of three hours a day. By contrast, fewer than half of consumers still rely on their desktop computers to perform the same functions, according to data reported by media expert... [Read more]

Maz Nadjm says, “If there is one thing that all businesses in the world have in common – whatever their industry, size, internal structure and corporate culture – it’s that they all need sales to thrive. But, as is often the case, keeping up with the evolution of the purchasing cycle in order to be present where and when it matters... [Read more]

Brett Ingram has just released new online marketing software, called 'SociDynamo Pro'. Ingram reports that if you use this new software, you can earn hands-free commissions. It automatically finds other people's viral content as well as other people's products that you can promote and it builds websites automatically to promote them with your affiliate link... [Read more]

Tamar Weinberg says, “Your Pinterest experience is about to get richer and more interactive — with video ads, that is. Video ads have been a consideration for the company for almost a year, with the launch of Cinematic Pins in May of 2015. Digiday reports that a small group of users are being given the ability to test video ads on the image-sharing... [Read more]

Jeff Rajeck says, “Brands have always looked for ways to get more loyal customers. But since social media has taken off, they are also encouraging these loyal customers to become brand advocates. So, how are brands cultivating customer loyalty and building advocacy? This was one of the topics discussed at our recent roundtables in Sydney, sponsored... [Read more]

Pratik Dholakiya says, “Link building remains the cornerstone of most search engine optimization efforts. According to Moz’s “2015 Search Engine Ranking Factors Study,” links have the strongest association with higher search rankings of all the (known) attributes used by Google in its core ranking algorithm. But one of the most common issues... [Read more]

Cassie Nelson says, “Though too many leads certainly isn’t a bad problem to have, it can be a problem nonetheless if a company’s marketing efforts are being driven by lead volume rather than lead quality. It would be great if every person that came through the funnel was an ideal candidate for the product or service you’re offering;... [Read more]

Greg Sterling says, “Last September, the FTC settled charges against YouTube-based gaming network Machinima over failure to disclose payments to YouTube “influencers” surrounding an Xbox promotion. Today, the agency announced its final consent order in the case. This marks the second announcement this week in connection with a settlement surrounding... [Read more]